Surface-mounted semiconductors are used in a wide variety of applications. In some of these applications, it is necessary to protect the semiconductor from environmental factors that could degrade its performance. Hermetically sealed surface mount packages are used to protect the semiconductor from such environmental factors. In some of these applications, the hermetically sealed semiconductor package may be exposed to extreme conditions, such as extreme temperatures, large temperature transients, shock, and the like. Such applications may include, for example, military, space, aerospace, and down hole drilling applications. There is thus a need for a hermetically sealed surface-mount package that can reliably be used in such extreme applications.